Definition
Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock which is composed of recrystallized carbonate which is formed when limestone is exposed to high temperatures and pressures over a long time
Breccia is a rock consisting of angular fragments of stones which are cemented by finer calcareous material
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the Greek marmaros, shining stone and also from the English word marmoreal meaning marble-like
From Italian, literally gravel, Germanic origin and related to break
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular
Brecciated, Clastic
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Pink, White
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Rust, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined and Shiny
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Laboratory bench tops, Paper Industry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Types
Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Calacatta marble, Cultured Marble, Polished Marble, Honed Marble, Sand Marble
Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Buland Darwaza in Agra, India, Capitol Hill Building, Washington DC, Charminar in Hyderabad, India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Maharashtra, India, Ephesus in Turkey, Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, Humayun's Tomb in Delhi, India, Jama Masjid in Delhi, India, Lotus Temple in New Delhi, India, Louvre in Paris, France, Mysore Palace in Karnataka, India, Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Palace of Parliament in Bucharest, Romania, Parthenon in Greece, Potala Palace in Lahasa, Tibet, Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, Qutb Minar in India, Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, St. Peter’s Cathedral in Vatican City, Taj Mahal in Agra, India, Tower of Pisa, Italy, Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, India, Washington Monument, US
Not Applicable
Famous Sculptures
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Bust of Artemis, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Lincoln Memorial in America
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Formation
Marble is a metamorphic rock produced from limestone in the earth crust. It is formed by the metamorphism of limestone.
Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock which is composed of broken fragments of minerals or rock which are cemented together by a fine-grained matrix and it forms where broken, angular fragments of rock or mineral debris accumulate.
Mineral Content
Garnet, Graphite, Olivine, Pyrite, Quartz
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica
Compound Content
CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Medium Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Uneven
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Dull to Pearly
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Perfect
Non-Existent
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.7 g/cm3
0 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Africa
Namibia
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Italy, Spain
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Not Yet Found
Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Panama, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
New South Wales, New Zealand
Marble vs Breccia Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Marble vs Breccia characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Marble and Properties of Breccia. Learn more about Marble vs Breccia in the next section. The interior uses of Marble include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration, Kitchens and Stair treads whereas the interior uses of Breccia include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Marble and Breccia, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Marble in construction industry include As dimension stone and that of Breccia include As dimension stone, Construction aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone.
More about Marble and Breccia
Here you can know more about Marble and Breccia. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Marble and Breccia consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Marble includes Garnet, Graphite, Olivine, Pyrite, Quartz and mineral content of Breccia includes Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Marble vs Breccia, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Marble is available in black, blue, brown, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Breccia is available in beige, black, blue, brown, buff, green, grey, orange, pink, purple, red, rust, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Marble is Veined and Shiny and that of Breccia is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Marble vs Breccia. The hardness of Marble is 3-4 and that of Breccia is 7. The types of Marble are Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Calacatta marble, Cultured Marble, Polished Marble, Honed Marble, Sand Marble whereas types of Breccia are Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Marble and Breccia is white. The specific heat capacity of Marble is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Breccia is Not Available. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Marble is heat resistant whereas Breccia is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.